Help Please! Dresden Plate Advice!
 

I am starting my first ever Dresden Plate quilt!!
I am going to use a white base and the plates are going to be scrappy blue.

I don't believe in monsters under the bed and I don't believe in the quilt police.
What I'm looking for is words of experience on the most effective use of diversity.

My question is:
- is it better to have 20 different blades with no duplicates
- let the duplicates fall where they may
- use the same fabric at the four "corners" and the rest all different
- something else?

Please help me!

This is one of those questions that you'll get all kinds of answers to. I know many folks who say put them in a bag and pull them out one by one. I can't do that. I need more order. So I would lay out one with 20 different blades and many a couple for the four of the same color idea and the rest different. Stand back and take a look. If one doesn't hit you immediately as the best way, sleep on it and look again the next day. Good luck.

I usually do them scrappy - but they do look great all one color or every 4th color - I just cut blades out and lay them out to see what catches my eye. The great thing is there is no wrong way to do it.

I think you should do what pleases you. If you like it then it's perfect

I just finished a red and white Dresdan Plate quilt. I just used a random method for the blades but I did keep all the centers the same, Sometimes the same blade was included but well seperated. I have added a narrow border of red and then a 3 1/2 " white border. I am real happy with the results. Now to sandwich and quilt

anything you want will work just fine with dresden plates...cut some blades and play with the different looks....I love them all, so I am no real help...hehehe

I am currently making a dresden plate king-size quilt and am doing it in 5 blue fabrics. I am doing them in order of light to dark, 4 sets, 20 pieces. I like the way they look.

I have done them with 5 fabrics - in quarter repeats but I think you should do whatever you like - I've seen scrappy dresdens that are fabulous! No right or wrong on this :)

i made a scrappy dresden with 20 blades, and placed them all the same, so the blocks were identical. i wish i had shifted them around. oh well, i will know better next time. the good thing about quilting, is that if you are not happy with it, you can always make another one.

That's my favorite way to do them, too (tho I've done them all scrappy, all planned). I made a blue one that way years ago & I liked the "control" the 4 (I used solid) blues gave them. But that's just me. Make a couple of sample blocks & see what speaks to you. Or use "Google Images" & look at the samples that come up there.